WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION, WBALTV.COM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES OUR STATE SO BEAUTIFUL ARE THE TREES. LOTS OF TREES. SOME OF THEM, WELL OVER 100 YEARS OLD. THE ASH TREES IN MARYLAND MAY SOON BE IN DANGER AS THE EMERALD ASH TREE PEST TAKING OVER THE MIDWEST IS HEADED THIS WAY. THE TWO BEAUTIFUL ASH TREES BEHIND ME HAVE BEEN AROUND HERE FOR A LONG TIME. PLANTED RIGHT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THEY ARE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 140 YEARS OLD. NOW AFTER SURVIVING ALL OF THAT TIME, THESE AND OTHER ASH TREES ARE IN DANGER OF BEING KILLED BY AN INSECT FROM ASIA. THESE ARE THE ADULT INSECTS. I DO MINOR DAMAGE TO THE TREE BY FEEDING ON THE LEAVES, BUT THEN THEY LAY EGGS WHICH BORE INTO THE TREE. AND ARBOR COMPANIES COMING UP WITH THE WAY TO PROTECT THE TREES AND KILL THE INSECTS THAT ARE DOING THE DAMAGE. TREES HAVE A VASCULAR SYSTEM, JUST LIKE ARTERIES AND VEINS. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO DRILL SMALL HOLES INTO THE TREE, WE ARE GOING TO PUT A SPECIAL PLUG IN THEM THAT SEALS THE TREE, AND WE WILL INJECT A NEEDLE INTO THE TREES VASCULAR TISSUE. WHEN WE DO THAT, THE END RESULT IS GOING TO BE THAT THE PRODUCT WILL FLOW UP THE TREE AND PROTECT THE TREE ROOM INSIDE WOOD INSECT FEEDS. HOLES ARE DRILLED, AND THEN A PESTICIDE IS INJECTED INTO THE HOLES, PARALYZING AND KILLING THE INSECTS, PROTECTING THE TREE FOR UP TO THREE YEARS. IT IS SO MUCH CHEAPER TO TREAT THE TREES THEN TO REMOVE THEM AND REPLACE THEM. THERE IS NO REASON TO LOSE COUNTRY OF ANY SIZE. -- LOSE A TREE OF ANY SIZE. THE CHIEF OF FOUR STRAIGHT FOR BALTIMORE CITY SAID THE CITY IS LOOKING INTO THIS METHOD. THIS IS A PESTICIDE. A RELATIVELY SAFE PESTICIDE. IT IS ONE THAT COULD BE PART OF OUR PLAN WHERE WE TREAT CERTAIN TREES TO SAVE THEM. THERE ARE SOME TREES, BECAUSE OF THEIR POOR HEALTH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THE TREES. SO FAR, THE INSECTS HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN IN BALTIMORE CITY, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN DETECTED AS CLOSE AS HOWARD COUNTY. EXPERTS SAY IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY ARE HERE.